SSgt Herbert Charles Philip Cannon

This book is about Herbert Charles Philip Cannon's time in the British Army during the Second World War when he saw active service in France, Africa, India and Burma.

It has been compiled using his Army Service Records and personal artefacts by his son Chris in his memory.

Click here to read the book.

Chris gave a presentation at the Peace Service at Harley Church, Shropshire, to mark VJ Day. He said: "My father, Phil Cannon, joined the Territorial Army in 1936. Three years later, on the day Prime Minister Chamberlain declared on the radio that we were at war with Germany, he walked into his home and told his mother he was off to France to fight tomorrow.

"Having been rescued from the beaches of France he returned home on a weekend pass to marry my mother in February 1940. The couple shared little time together over the following years. My mother said she did not recognise him five years later when he disembarked from the troop ship and he was not the same man she had married.

"Phil's war service scared and changed him for life. Promoted to Sergeant responsible for top secret and classified documents he was posted to Freetown, West Africa. From there he went into the remote hinterland of Sierra Leone and Nigeria to recruit and train local men as soldiers to fight for King George. He would put his life in the hands of these soldiers as he fought alongside the 81st West African Division, the Black Spiders, and the 17th Indian Infantry Division, the Black Cats, whose badges he wore with pride. Phil was to owe his life to one of his recruits who, when he could not continue fighting, evacuated him from the front line down a river for four days in a canoe.

"From 1943 until the end of the war in the Far East, Staff Sergeant Cannon fought deep in the jungles of Burma against a ferocious and cruel enemy, the Japanese. His dedication and bravery were recognised in April 1945 when he was mentioned in dispatches for his service in the Burma campaign, he never spoke of why the award was received.

"In later life he said, 'I walked 2,000 miles cutting my way through steamy, thick jungle, supplied spasmodically by air drops, and I will never go on another walk again'.

"Forged in the campaign was a sense of enduring comradeship and friendship with men from all walks of life. For the rest of his life he devoted himself to supporting these comrades as Chairman and Welfare Officer of the Burma Star Association. An example being when, as a teenager, I asked why this man shaking and drooling in a wheelchair was in our house. My father sternly told me 'whatever we do, wherever we go, he will be at the front of the parade, he is one of the bravest men I have ever known, he was one of the few to survive the infamous Battle of Kohima'.

"Due partly to the impact of the Burma campaign on his health my father did not grow old. At his funeral his ageing comrades all came, stood ramrod straight and saluted a fallen comrade just as they had too many times in the jungles of Burma. The father I knew was a kind, gentle man who would help and support others through his work as a counsellor, teacher and friend. The only constant negative theme was his hatred of the Japanese. If the subject was raised he would say 'the only good Japanese is a dead one, and even then I don't trust them as I've seen them get up and shoot someone'. Nothing manufactured in Japan was allowed in the house.

"Phil Cannon was fortunate just before he died to meet his first grandchild, Matthew. In 1987 the Japanese Government introduced the JET scheme to promote harmony and peace between countries. Taking advantage of this scheme as a student Matthew went to live with a Japanese family and worked in local schools. Phil Cannon's grandson has now lived in Tokyo for over 30 years, he is married to a Japanese citizen and he is officially registered as a Japanese resident. He loves the people, its culture and way of life.

"As I said at my mother's funeral, I grew up with prejudices and distrust of the Japanese people, but it is right that the next generation move on in peace and reconciliation. Phil Cannon was a member of what became known as the Forgotten Army, we should never forget the sacrifices that were made, but the world should learn to move on and live in peace.

The Fourteenth Army in Asia are now remembered in the

KOHIMA EPITAPH

When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our today